


What You Mean to Me

by AlyKat



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Parents, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gabriel/Beelezbub not main pairing, Good AUmens AU Festival, M/M, Single Father Crowley
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:14:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24930631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlyKat/pseuds/AlyKat
Summary: There’s this thing that happens when worlds are spun upside down. Coins and old receipts fall from pockets, trinkets and fobs slide off of shelves and shatter across the floor. And just when it seems the world has gotten all that it can from the upheaval, it gives a few good shakes just to make sure it’s gotten everything it could out of its inhabitants. That’s how life had been for AJ Crowley for the last 10 years. Everyday it felt as if he were being grabbed by the leg, lifted into the air and just shaken a few times. Just in case he’d anything new in his pockets that the world wanted to claim for its own.Azariah Fell was content with his life. He had his bookshop, a couple of close friends, and truly felt as if his life was complete. Until the day AJ Crowley appeared in his shop and turned his world upside down.What began as a working business relationship could become so much more, but can a tentative romance survive the trials and turmoil that threatens to tear AJ's world apart? Can two boys bring these lonesome hearts together to keep AJ's family from being ripped from his grasp?
Relationships: Aziraphale & Anathema Device, Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Beelzebub/Gabriel (Good Omens)
Comments: 28
Kudos: 57
Collections: Good AUmens AU Fest





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is still very much a work in progress, and I hope I'm not breaking any rules, but it's also unbeta'd. I do have quite a chunk of this story written already, but I will be working on it alongside my other WIP "Ready to Fall". So once the prewritten chapters are posted, updates might be a bit sporadic until one or both of these long fics get finished. I'm not gonna promise to stick to a posting schedule, but I'm hoping it won't take me too long between chapters to get things up and posted.

There’s this thing that happens when worlds are spun upside down. Coins and old receipts fall from pockets, trinkets and fobs slide off of shelves and shatter across the floor. And just when it seems the world has gotten all that it can from the upheaval, it gives a few good shakes just to make sure it’s gotten everything it could out of its inhabitants. 

That’s how life had been for AJ Crowley for the last 10 years. Everyday it felt as if he were being grabbed by the leg, lifted into the air and just shaken a few times. Just in case he’d anything new in his pockets that the world wanted to claim for its own. 

10 years wasn’t a terribly long time in the grand scheme of things really. A decade sounded more impressive. Still, so much of his life had changed in that time, it was hard to think about. He’d gone from a simple layman for a landscaping company, barely out of schooling and being put to task by co-workers who thought he’d never make it in the business, to becoming the sole owner of his own landscape architecture business. He’d been just a single bloke, ten years ago. Not a care in the world really, living it up in a one bedroom flat, saving up his money to buy a place of his own. 

“Daaaaaaaaaaaad! Lyle won’t give me the remote! It’s my turn!”

“Is not! My show’s not over!”

Ten years ago, AJ Crowley hadn’t been a single father to twin boys. 

A heavy sigh settled in his chest as he pushed his glasses up into his hair and ran his hands over his tired face. It was getting later, later than he normally allowed the lads to stay up, but they were on summer holiday, so he gave them just a tad more freedom than usual, anyway. Still, didn’t change the fact that the sun had gone down well over an hour ago and the dim light from his drafting table was casting awkward shadows across his designs, causing his eyes to ache from the strain and a horrible crick to form in his neck. Maybe he should just call it a night, go lay out on the couch, and watch a bit of mindless telly himself. 

Shuffling out of his small office, AJ moved to lean against the arch between dining room and living room. 

“It’s nobody’s turn,” he said, voice giving away just how tired he was. “Bedtime, both of you. Go get washed up.” 

“But dad!” exclaimed the young boy on the left, spinning around on the couch to drape across it and stare at his father beseechingly. “It’s only 10! Can’t we stay up another half hour?”

“Yeah, please, dad?” the second boy piped up, also turning to face his father. 

Matching deep brown eyes stared at AJ, both pairs wide and innocent, hopeful in a way that was sometimes impossible to turn down. Only sometimes though. 

Well, maybe more than sometimes. 

Shoving off the wall, AJ rolled his eyes and made his way over to the couch, motioning for them to scooch over so he could settle himself down in between them. 

“Half an hour. That’s  _ it. _ Not a millisecond more, yeah?”

Both boys grinned in triumph, settling themselves into the couch more, sandwiching their father in between them. 

An hour and a half later, AJ was carrying one boy in his arms, the second attached across his back and clinging to his neck like a baby sloth, down the hall and into the small room the two shared. Those boys were both the light of his life, and the literal pain in his neck sometimes. He didn’t even bother to try to change them out of their street clothes. The laundry had to be done in the morning, anyway. 

“Dad…?” 

AJ turned to look over his shoulder. “Yeah?”

“Do you have to go to work tomorrow?”

A sad not-smile crossed AJ’s face as he moved back towards the beds to sit at the edge of one. Reaching out, he smoothed down the shaggy mop of red-brown hair Lyle’s twin, Jacen, had taken to sporting. The pair of them were so alike in ways, but so vastly different in others. Even for being identical twins. Jacen was far more hands on. Always wanting to be active and do things, get his hands dirty, build things, go on adventures and suffer through scraped knees. Lyle was far more sedate. Bookish and studious. He never turned down an adventure, but he wasn’t always the first to suggest one, either. Though, he did have a knack for setting the kitchen on fire…

“Jace, you know I do. I’ve got to go meet that new client of mine.” 

“Well, then,” started Jacen sleepily, his eyes already starting to fall shut again, “c’n we go with you?”

“Not this time. You boys’re goin’ over to Shareen’s tomorrow, right? You always have fun over there.” AJ pushed Jacen’s bangs off his forehead and tucked the blankets around his lithe little body a bit tighter when he stood to leave again. “I won’t be gone long, promise.” 

A gentle snore was the only answer he got from either of the boys. AJ cast them one last, fond look before shutting their door part-way and making his way back to his office to get a bit more work done on the latest design. His brain was already thinking ahead to the next project. All he needed was one more good project, and he’d have enough saved up to finally move them out of their cramped apartment. All he wanted was a place to call his own, and for his boys to grow up running and playing in wide open spaces. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city. 

For now though, they were comfortable and content. That would have to be enough. 

~*~*~

The sunrise over the city was always the best part of the day. At least, that’s what Azariah thought every time he stepped out onto his rooftop and took in a deep breath of the fresh morning air. Before the city truly began to wake up. When everything was still hazy and trying to wipe the sleep out of their eyes. 

Ever since he could remember, Azariah had been an early riser; up with the birds, and all that. He loved watching the golden rays glisten off the dew soaked leaves of flowers and sparkling little spiderwebs. Everything about the morning was beautiful. From the shades of blue and grey turning to pale pinks, to the steam rising up off his mug of cocoa, tickling his nose with its sweet scent and tempting him to drink it down in one go so he could go back down to make another. The gentle melody the songbirds sang drifting through the air bright and sure -- the only time of the day where they could be heard over the sounds of traffic. 

As he took a bite from his breakfast he watched the birds land near his feet, hopping around and pecking at each other to get to the crumbs that fell from his muffin. 

“Here now,” he muttered, breaking off a small bit to crumble up for them. “There’s more than enough for the three of you. No need to be greedy.” 

The largest of the birds hopped and flapped its wings, trying to chase the other two smaller ones off. Azariah shook his head, chuckling softly before taking another sip of his cocoa. There was really only one thing that could make his morning better. Anyone with working eyes would be able to tell what it was. The sad and forgotten flower pots littering the roof, the plants inside nothing more than dried up skeletons of the gorgeous fauna they’d once been. A rickety folding chair sat next to a rusted TV table -- both rements of an era long past. 

What would truly make his morning better would be to have a nice, relaxing rooftop oasis to escape to. With blossoming flowers and greenery waving to him gently in greeting on the morning breeze. Somewhere he could bring his latest book find to curl up and get lost in the pages of a fantastical world. Or sit out on cloudless nights to count whatever stars managed to shine through the light pollution. 

The rooftop was in a poor state of affairs. He’d tried to make it nicer, but, well, he was better with books and research and writing than he was with flowers and gardening. His last boyfriend had given him a plant as a surprise once. One that was supposed to be near impossible to kill. 

It died within a month. 

Azariah tried not to dwell on the fact it died and shortly thereafter, so did his relationship with Miles. It wouldn’t have worked out, anyway. They weren’t right for each other, and deep down, they both knew that. Miles was very open and outspoken about who and what he was. One of the flamboyant types that wore clothes far too tight for him, and had a rainbow ribbon tattooed down the entire length of his left arm. Whereas Azariah simply never felt the need to make such a statement. People usually had it figured out about him upon first meeting him anyway. There weren’t many forty-five year old straight men who wore bowties daily and had a vast collection of musicals on DVD. Or made it a point to attend each opening and closing night of any new musical to appear on the West End stage. 

Well, most people didn’t know about the musicals collection he had, actually. Usually it was the way he talked that clued people in. There was one man, in fact, who would come into Azariah’s bookshop from time to time, who had taken to calling him a Great Southern Pansy. He wasn’t wrong, if not a bit crude and uncouth about it. 

Taking in one last deep breath, and finishing off the last bit of cocoa, leaving a small bite of his muffin behind for his fine feathered friends, Azariah made his way back down the stairs leading into his flat and began getting ready for the day. 

~*~*~

AJ looked down at the address typed in on his phone, then back at the building in front of him. It wasn’t anything fantastic, but it did have a certain amount of charm to it, he supposed. Lyle would have no doubt fainted at the sight of it. The thought brought a smile to his face, as most thoughts of his terror twins did. 

Grabbing up his messenger bag off the seat next to him, he slipped out from behind the wheel and made his way to the steps leading up to a set of wood and glass doors.  _ A. Z. Fell and Co.  _ was painted in gold lettering above the door, while the sides of the corner lot building boasted of being a rare books seller. A quick peek in through the door window had AJ questioning that one just a bit. All he saw was a middle-aged man dressed almost entirely in a cream colored suit, bright platinum blond hair curled and sticking up in places, shuffling around with his nose stuffed in a book. There was no one else in sight. 

He double checked the address again and shrugged. It was the right address. 

The bell above the door jingled in a not unpleasant way; not like most door chimes did. This one didn’t seem to make him want to rip it off the door, at least. 

“Be with you in a jiffy!” a muffled voice called from somewhere behind a bookcase. “Do look around! Mind the stacks! Afraid I’m rather in the middle of trying to reorganize a little bit.”

AJ quirked an eyebrow over the frame of his sunglasses and couldn’t fight the small smirk that ticked at the corner of his mouth. Yes, Lyle would definitely faint, or worse, if he ever stepped foot into this shop. There were stacks and piles of books covering every available flat surface of the shop. An antique cash register on a desk; even an antique phone sat further into the room. The place looked as if it had been caught in a time lock -- the outside world moving on with all their technological advances while this quaint little bookshop stayed resolutely in the time in which it was built. 

He wandered aimlessly, snaking his way between the stacks until a small pile on a dusty shelf caught his eye. There was a grey covered bound book, blue lettering printed on the side, that had AJ running his finger over it reverently. 

“The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter. First edition. Absolutely splendid.” 

The muffled voice from before wasn’t muffled anymore. In fact, it was standing right behind AJ, close enough to startle him and cause him to jerk backwards, nearly knocking a statue of a cherub off its stand. 

Bright, sparkling blue-green eyes smiled at him. Well, no, his eyes didn’t  _ smile _ , eyes  _ couldn’t  _ smile, not really, but they reflected the kind and pleasant smile that was on the man’s face in front of him. It was the same man he’d seen through the window. 

AJ blinked dumbly. “Uh...sorry?”

“The book,” the gentleman answered, turning his attention back to the shelf and reaching to pick it up, holding it carefully in his hands. “It’s absolutely splendid. In near mint condition. Original watercolor illustrations. Illustrations that sparked the imaginations of generations of children worldwide. I was lucky to find it in such good shape, you know.”

“Uhm...right. Yeah. I can’t imagine it’d be easy to find a book like that, Mr…”

“Oh! Fell. Azariah Fell.” Azariah set the book back down gently before holding his hand out to AJ. 

“Mr. Fell? You’re the one looking to redo your rooftop garden, then.” AJ took a firm hold on Azariah’s hand as he introduced himself, “Anthony Crowley." 

“Oh, of course. Of course, I spoke with you on the phone. I do apologize, I’m afraid I’d lose my head if it weren’t attached sometimes,” laughed Azariah weakly, a faint blush dusting across his cheeks. “Well, if you’ll pardon me for just a moment to close up shop, I’ll take you up to the roof.” 

With a flurry of motion, Azariah was sweeping through the shop, all the while chattering on about the space above. AJ took that moment to give him a very brief once over. Though not handsome by any conventional means, Azariah had something about him that made a not unpleasant shiver run down AJ’s spine. Fluffy white blond hair curled and surrounding his head like a poofy halo, fair skin, bright eyes. A bit soft around the middle and in the cheeks, but AJ found it rather endearing, actually. Azariah certainly wasn’t his usual type, but still, he couldn’t deny that the bubbly shop owner was attractive in his own ways. 

_ Oh for fuck’s sake, _ he thought to himself, shaking his head and readjusting his sunglasses on his nose,  _ The man’s hiring you to landscape his roof. He’s off limits, Crowley. Off limits. _

AJ was willing to admit -- and blame -- his thoughts drifting places they shouldn’t drift to on the fact it had been quite some time since he’d last shared any intimate time with another adult. Even so, he chastised himself and forced his shoulders back, bringing up the air of professionalism to hide the fact he was a lonely,  _ lonely _ , man. 

Once the shop was closed for the time being, AJ followed Azariah up a back set of stairs, through a narrow hallway, and up one more flight of stairs before stepping out onto the rooftop in question. Azariah was right, it was in an extremely sad state. Wasn’t the worst AJ had ever seen, but it definitely needed a lot of help. 

“Not much for plants that need a bit of upkeep, are you?” He asked, looking around and making his way over to the twigs that had once been a bit of ivy. 

“No...no, I’m afraid I’m rather rubbish with plants, actually. That’s why I was hoping you might be able to help me with this project. I assume you would know which flowers and fauna I should use up here that might survive a bit longer than a handful of weeks.”

AJ quirked a brow over the rim of his glasses and shrugged, doing a slow turn around, before answering, “Artificial may be your best bet if you were able to kill that poor cactus over there.”

He fought back a small laugh as Azariah followed where AJ was pointing to and a whole deeper shade of pink flushed across his cheeks. 

“Oh, yes, well...I...I suppose you aren’t wrong. Suggesting artificial flowers, that is. That may be--”

“Eh, no, sorry, I was just kidding. No, I...eh...I’m sure we can figure something out. Lemme just get my book out...tell me what you’ve got in mind.” AJ glanced up from fighting with his messenger bag, finally getting the notebook he kept ideas and quick sketches in. Azariah was shifting awkwardly from foot to foot, eyes darting around the wide open space as if he didn’t know where to start. 

Azariah’s eyes returned to AJ, and he shrugged. “I really haven’t the slightest idea.”

_ Right. Indecisive. Can work with this… _

“Well,” drawled AJ, leaning against the roof’s ledge, legs out in front of him and crossed at the ankles. He adjusted his sunglasses again and tapped his pen on the cover of his notebook. “What kind of space are you looking for up here? Somewhere to relax? Looking to grow your own food or cultivate honey bees? Throw wild, outrageous parties with lots of sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll?”

“Uh, no.” It was a short, succinct answer. One that had AJ fighting back an amused smirk as he waited for Azariah to elaborate on what he was wanting. 

“I think,” he started, glancing around at their surroundings, absently fiddling with the cuffs of his button down, “that what I should like is a green space. With brightly colored flowers, though, having something to attract those dear bees would be a nice addition. What I truly want, is just somewhere I can sit and relax in. Enjoy the sunshine and fresh air while I read.”

“A rooftop getaway?” AJ had dealt with creating similar places before. Though, most of his jobs had been for small community parks or the odd eccentric well-to-do businessman who just wanted to show off his massive estate and feel self-important about himself. This was the first time AJ would be dealing with a rooftop setting. He liked a good challenge. 

He liked it even more, seeing the way Azariah’s face lit up with excitement, fists coming up to mid-chest and giving a small bounce of approval. “Yes! That’s exactly it.” 

With a nod, AJ opened his notebook to jot down a few ideas that came to mind. “Not looking for a space to entertain in, then?”

“Oh, well…” Azariah trailed off, adjusting his shirt as he glanced down and away awkwardly. “I...I don’t  _ do _ much entertaining, really. Never been much for a lot of people crowded together in one space like that.” 

“Don’t want a nice romantic spot to bring your girlfriend to canoodle under the stars?”

The sudden bark of laughter that came from Azariah startled AJ. His head jerked up and he blinked behind dark glasses. “What? What’d I say?” 

Full, pink lip tucked between two rows of teeth while those damnably bright eyes danced all the brighter. “No...no girlfriend to bring up here. Most  _ certainly _ no girlfriend.”

The circuits quickly sparked and smoked in AJ’s head. There was something shy but coy in the way Azariah held himself and spoke. Most certainly no girlfriend. Most  _ certainly _ .  _ No. _ Girlfriend. Right, well. No girlfriend didn’t mean he wasn’t straight, just meant he didn’t have a girlfriend at the moment. If that were the case though, why put any emphasis on the ‘ _ certainly _ ’? If he were gay, then there was a very good chance he had a boyfriend, then. Wasn’t there? Or perhaps he simply wasn’t interested in relationships at all. Plenty of people out there weren’t. AJ himself had tried for the longest time to convince himself he was one of those people. 

He sadly, though not surprisingly, most assuredly was not one of those people. AJ longed for a relationship. One that didn’t end in harsh words, dishes being thrown at his head, and, ultimately, being on his own to raise two rambunctious boys. Not that he had any time for romance in his life, but maybe someday it’d be nice to have someone to fall asleep next to or cuddle up on the couch and share gentle kisses with again. 

“Uhhh…” AJ stammered and struggled to find some kind of intelligible words to answer with. “Eh...ngk...ah...b-boyfriend? Then?”

The coyness melted out of Azariah’s stance, replaced by hesitance. Almost as if he were suddenly very afraid to answer that question. It really wasn’t any of AJ’s business, and he suddenly felt like a complete heel for even asking in the first place. He opened his mouth to apologize, bring them back on track to figuring out what to do with the area, when a buzz rattled in his pocket, followed by the opening notes of “Under Pressure”. 

Pink rose up on his own cheeks. “Sorry, lemme just...sorry…” He fumbled to put things down so he could blindly hit ignore on the phone. Muttering curses under his breath, he turned his attention back to Azariah and gave an apologetic smile. “Uh...right, so, uh...moss! Moss always works well for a--”

_ Under Pressure _ sounded for a second time, interrupting him and causing him to clench his teeth in silent aggravation. He swiped ignore again only for it to start right back up again before he could even get it tucked back into his pocket. This time he at least looked at the number. 

"Oh for fuck's...sorry, I just,"

"No need to apologize."

AJ nodded once before taking two steps away from Azariah, back turned to him as he answered.

"One or both of you had better either be bleeding from your eyes or stuffed into the boot of a black car…" the threat came out in a quiet hiss. "What? Wha-eh-na... _ no _ ! ...no you can't dye your hair  _ blue _ ! What kind of question is...wha-na yeah yeah well Tommy Harting's parents let him eat  _ paste _ up until a year ago! You sure he's who you want to use as an example? No...neh..no put Shareen on. ...Hi, Shareen. Yeah, hey, do me a favor, keep the hair dye out of Jacen's reach, he...you don't have any hair dye. Well then what was he--  _ Kool-aid _ !!?? No! No, absolutely not. ...no, ok...no...no Sha-- Oh no don't...Shareen don't cry. No, look...it's ok! 'M not cross with you. I know you're under a lot of stress just...just keep them from doing anything stupid an' I promise to find someone else to watch them until you're done with your exams. ...yeah...yeah...o-o-okay...okay...yeah. right. Yeah soon as I can. Uh-huh...yeah…bye." 

AJ hung up the phone, shoulders slumped as he let out a heavy breath. He loved those boys dearly, but sometimes…

Looking back to Azariah, AJ flashed an apologetic smile, phone tucked back into his pocket. "Sorry. My hellspawn are trying to give me grey hairs…"

Azariah’s return smile was soft and warm and did ridiculous things to AJ’s heart. “That’s quite alright,” Azariah said, fidgeting with the hem of his jacket awkwardly. “How old are your kids?”

AJ thought for a moment, trying to get his brain to move on from thinking about one of his boys coming home with Kool-aid dyed hair. “Uhhh...they’ll be ten...God, next month. Ngk...I feel old!” 

“Oh now, you can’t be that old if they’re only ten. You and your wife must have your hands full with them, though, it sounds like.” 

AJ nearly tripped over thin air as he blinked, eyebrow quirked and gaze focused back on Azariah. “I...I’m not married,” he answered back, though it sounded more like a question than a statement. 

A light seemed to grow a bit brighter in Azariah’s eyes. “...girlfriend?”

“No...no, I’m not with anyone, at the moment. Got my hands full with my boys, like you said.”

“Oh. Oh, I’m so sorry. I assumed Shareen was your...your partner.”

A bark of laughter burst from AJ’s lips as he leaned languidly against the edge of the rooftop once more. Common mistake, honestly, but still laughable and he couldn’t help but give a little tease in reply. “Shareen? No...I stopped dating eighteen year olds when I was twenty-two. Too much work, those teens.”

A curious blush seemed to make its way up Azariah’s cheeks as he glanced at his shoes. A grown man blushing really shouldn’t be overly attractive, and yet, on this man it was positively adorable. There was something about him that made AJ instantly want to start flirting. To slip him his personal cell phone number, with a smirk and a wink. If they’d met at a club -- well, back when AJ still  _ went  _ to clubs and if Azariah ever did, which was rather unlikely -- AJ would have sidled up next to him, whisked him off onto the dance floor, and then maybe, if Azariah were amicable to the idea, they’d go back to AJ’s apartment for a bit of fun. 

Those days, however, had long since vanished. Replaced instead by football matches and science fairs and academic awards nights. 

“Well,” Azariah finally cleared his throat, obviously having gotten his traitorous blush under control again. “Shall we, uh...shall we continue planning? I must say, I truly am looking forward to seeing you. That is, what I mean is, seeing your ideas. What you have planned...for...for me- _ my _ ...my space up here.” 

There that blush was again. The slip ups had AJ intrigued, too. He decided to let those slide for right then; there was too much planning and working out budget and schedules and such to dwell on any of that. With one fluid motion, he pushed himself off the ledge again and nodded, already opening his book again and jotting down a few more ideas. 

“How do you feel about pergolas?”


	2. Chapter 2

The rest of the meeting with Azariah ran smoothly enough, and AJ nearly choked on thin air when he heard the words, “Oh, I’m not worried about the budget. Whatever you think would look nice up there, I’m willing to pay.” How in the name of all things could a bookshop owner not care about the price of such a large project? Not just any old bookshop owner at that, but a  _ rare _ and  _ antique bookshop _ owner. One that really didn’t seem to get much foot traffic in. Still, AJ generally felt he could read a person fairly well, so he was 99% confident that Azariah wouldn’t welch on the bill when the time came. He hoped. 

It was going to be a massive undertaking, though. Starting as soon as he was able to, which, given his rather unlimited budget, AJ had feigned nonchalance when he slowly drawled that he could  _ probably _ get started on it as early as the end of the week. Though, he did say he would be back by sooner just to help get the rooftop cleared and ready for the soil to arrive. Of course, he said this  _ before _ he remembered telling Shareen he’d find someone else to watch the boys until her exams were over. 

Which was, as things just so happened to go, how he found himself strolling back into the shop two days later, two boys begrudgingly trailing along behind him like two inmates on their way to death row. Kind of an exaggeration, but they were nearly ten. They were allowed to exaggerate a little. 

Stepping into the middle of the room, AJ turned round to level his boys with a stern look from over top of his sunglasses. 

“I want you both on your best behavior, understand? No messing about, no causing trouble, and for somebody’s sake Jacen, keep your bloody hat on so no one sees the mess you’ve made of your hair.” 

Jacen’s smile stretched from ear to ear as he stood a bit taller. He’d been very proud of how the Kool-aid dye job had worked out! Even if AJ had tried to ground them both for a year because of it. Jacen for actually doing it (though, he found out later it had already been done when Jacen called for permission) and Lyle for  _ letting _ him do it. Lyle was usually the sensible twin! AJ wasn’t sure where or how they’d decided Kool-aid mix would work as a hair dye, especially when trying to turn red hair blue. All it did was make it a sticky mess of various shades of purple, really. Odd shades of purple. Splotches of deep, near black, right at the top where they’d poured the powder directly onto his head, followed by lighter purple areas and a few that were still almost completely red. The boy didn’t know it yet, but a trip to the barber was in his very,  _ very _ near future. 

“Dad?” Lyle asked, eyes scanning the shelves upon shelves of books. “Can I move in here?”

Glancing to the left, AJ frowned. “Uhm, no. We’re here to clean up the roof, that’s all.”

“Can’t I just look, though? Promise not to break anything.” 

“ _ No _ . We need to--” 

“Oh. Hello.” The bright lit to the greeting that interrupted him had AJ straightening up and turning around. Azariah stood at the edge of a bookcase, a small stack of books in his arms and a shy, glowing smile playing on his lips. “I thought I heard people. Mr. Crowley, it’s nice to see you again so soon.” 

AJ opened his mouth to respond, only to shut it again and then open it once more. “Uh, yeah, well, I just thought we’d pop over and get a start on cleaning up the roof.”

Bright blue-green eyes seemed to dance with mirth as they looked from AJ to the two boys standing on either side of him. “You’ve brought the whole team with you then, I take it?”

“What?” AJ blinked twice. He’d been too caught up in taking in the sight of Azariah, dressed in the softest looking pale blue button up and khaki colored slacks, a tartan bow tie of all things finishing off the look. It took a second before the words clicked. “ _ Oh _ . Yeah, y’know, need all the help I can get. Boys, this is Mr. Fell. Azariah, this is Jacen and Lyle.” 

“Hullo,”

“Hi…” the boys answered with small, awkward waves only children could give. 

Setting his stack of books down on a table, not seeming to notice the way a pair of deep, chocolate brown eyes seemed to watch the books with great interest, Azariah came to stand in front of them and smiled reassuringly. “It’s wonderful to meet you both. I do thank you for coming over to help.”

Jacen made a small scowl as he looked away with a huff. “Wasn’t given much of a choice.” He mumbled before teetering forward just a bit when AJ’s hand connected with the base of his skull.

“Do you own  _ all _ these books?” Lyle asked, his attention still on his surroundings rather than on who was around him. “Where do you find them all? Did they cost a lot of money? Have you got  _ I Wish that I had Duck Feet _ by Theo LeSieg?” 

The questions rolled out of Lyle’s mouth almost without a space between them. Azariah chuckled softly, a fond smile already on his lips, and oh good grief did that do a funny thing to AJ’s heart. 

“Well, I do purchase them, yes, but I wouldn’t say that I  _ own _ them,” he started to explain. “I buy them so that I can in turn sell them. I go to antique stores, or estate sales, or auctions, sometimes I even wander into charity shops looking for them, and I must say they do tend to cost me a fair amount when I find them. Though, I am sorry, I don’t presently have a copy of  _ I Wish that I had Duck Feet _ . I shall keep an eye out for it, though.” Azariah pressed his lips together in thought before giving a small click of his fingers. “I do, however, have...oh, just a moment, I have to find it. Please, do come in and make yourselves comfortable!” 

Lyle, of course, took this to mean, “ _ Please, by all means, look around all you like! There’s books everywhere! On every subject imaginable! You simply  _ **_must_ ** _ skim through all the stacks piled up, my dear boy.”  _ As soon as Azariah had disappeared behind a bookcase, Lyle was off like a shot, mouth hanging open in awe as he came to a stop in front of the closest pile of books and began to silently read the titles to himself. 

Jacen, who was a bit more like his father and really only read when he had to, took to wandering the shop at a much more sedate pace. He moved up and down a couple of rows, not really seeing the books he was looking at. There really wasn’t much in the shop that would interest him, AJ thought. No video games or telly to watch the match on. It was a boring place for an overactive boy. The perfect bit of punishment, really. Well, that and the year long grounding. Even if AJ knew it’d barely last a week at best. Besides, putting him to work was also part of the punishment, and  _ that _ would last the entirety of their holiday. 

AJ himself wandered back to the shelf he’d found  _ The Tale of Peter Rabbit _ on and once again picked it up. Once upon a time, when he’d been young, younger than his boys were now, he’d owned that book. Well, not that one,  _ exactly _ . His copy was certainly not a first edition by any means, but he’d had it. Along with several other Beatrix Potter books. Somewhere in his distant memory, he could hear a sweet, gentle voice, with a calming Scottish accent, reading the books to him as he was tucked safely into a bed. He’d loved those books. The illustrations inside coming to life in his dreams where he’d run and play and get into trouble with Peter Rabbit and dear sweet Benjamin Bunny. Oh but those dreams had ended a lifetime ago.  _ Two _ lifetimes ago. A  _ thousand _ lifetimes ago, it seemed. 

A quiet rustle and someone blowing dust off the cover of a book brought AJ back to the present. He set the book back where he’d found it. Wouldn’t do to ruin it and have to buy it. There was no way he could afford that copy. Turning, he watched as Azariah came back into view with two books in hand. 

“Here we are!” He exclaimed happily, a flush of pink painted across his cheeks. “Just what I was looking for. Now,” his attention turned back to Lyle as he held the two books up. “These weren’t written by Mr. LeSieg, I’m afraid,  _ but _ , I think you’ll find them  _ quite _ engaging. This one is about a rogue nobleman who makes a name for himself as an outlaw. Stealing from the rich to give to the poor, outsmarting the likes of the evil sheriff and the dastardly false king. While this one,” blue eyes moved to acknowledge the second book in his hand, “is about a young lad who finds himself aboard a pirate ship in search of lost treasure.” 

By this time, Jacen had wandered his way back over and eyed the books with a thinly veiled look of interest. Azariah seemed to notice this as he held the two fabric bound novels out in front of himself as if sizing them up in front of both boys. With a frown, he switched the one in his right hand to the left, and left to the right. Frowned again, and switched again, before repeating it one last time.

“Yes,” he finally stated with a firm nod. “Yes, I think that these would fit you both.” With a smile, he held the first book out to Jacen. “You seem like a roguish young fellow. Out to cause mischief, if I didn’t know better. I think you’d enjoy taking on  _ The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. _ ” Azariah’s attention then turned to Lyle. “And you, good sir. You look like a lad in search of something special. I think you will find yourself whisked away on this adventure of discovery to  _ Treasure Island _ .” 

The books were old, AJ could tell just by looking at them, and he nearly flinched when his sons took them from Azariah. “Uh, that’s really nice an’ all, but, I don’t think I can aff--”

“Oh nonsense,” Azariah waved any further protest off with a flick of his hand as he ushered Lyle and Jacen over to a pair of armchairs next to one of the windows. “They aren’t first additions, if that’s what you’re worried about. Older in terms of books, yes, but not that old. Now, you boys are more than welcome to sit here and enjoy yourselves. I’ll help with the clean up. It is my rooftop after all.” 

Lyle stared down at his book as if he’d just been granted the answers to the secrets of the unknown world. With a flash of a smile, and a quick, “Thank you!” he opened the book and dove into it head first, as it were. Jacen tried to pretend he wasn’t interested, but AJ could tell Azariah had sparked his interest in it enough to give it a chance. Maybe bringing them here wasn’t quite the punishment he’d meant for it to be. 

“Uh, right then,” AJ cleared his throat, trying to dislodge the  _ fondness _ that had crept in there. AJ didn’t  _ do _ fondness. Not unless it was directed towards his boys. “You two, behave yourselves. Do not. Leave. Those chairs. Until I come back down. Understand?”

Muttered and murmured acknowledgements returned to him. He’d have to take it as confirmation. 

“They’ll be fine, I’m sure. Shall we?” Azariah motioned to the back staircase they’d gone up two days prior, following as AJ made his way up to the rooftop. 

Not much had changed since he’d left. Though, the chair and TV stand were conspicuously missing. He took a moment to look around again before nodding, his messenger bag set off to the side. 

“Well, s’pose we should start by burying your dead, here. Any last words, before they’re put to rest?” AJ cast a small, roguish smile of his own back at Azariah as he rolled up his sleeves and moved to pick up one of the small pots the remains of an ivy were still sitting in. 

Azariah chuckled under his breath before schooling his features and trying to look contrite. It didn’t work. He simply looked like a smug cherub who’d just gotten away with something he probably shouldn’t have. “No,” he said with a small head shake, “No, better not. I fear I wouldn’t make it through without breaking down.”

“Oh, well, can’t have that now, can we?”

“It’d be a frightful mess, you see.”

“I’m sure it would be. Can’t bear to see a grown man cry, me.” 

“Then perhaps we best be on with the burial? No ceremony. I think they would have wanted it that way.” 

AJ nodded sagely, trying hard to keep a straight face through the lightness he felt in his chest from having someone to banter -- truly, properly banter -- with again. While he’d never really been much for being around people, being around Azariah felt...different. In a good way, of course. It helped that he was probably the most adorable man AJ had ever laid eyes on, but the tipping point was seeing how he treated Lyle and Jacen. Taking to them just as naturally as anything. 

That was a rare treat. One that AJ thought he’d never find. 

“Of course. Of course. Hand me that bin bag, there, then if you will, please? They’ve already left this world for a far greener pasture. No need to drag things out longer than need be.” 

Not even trying to fight his fit of giggles anymore, Azariah reached down for the black plastic bag poking out from under the flap of AJ’s messenger bag and snapped it open with a couple of quick flicks. 

“You were good plants,” He said solemnly as AJ dumped the contents of each pot into the bag. “May we meet on better occasions, next time.” 

“Thought you said you weren’t going to say anything ‘bout them?”

“Well...didn’t seem right to  _ not _ not say anything.” 

“S’pose…” AJ dropped the last of the crackling leaves and soil into the bag, pot set off to the side with the rest of them. “That takes care of those. So, you still want those walls put up, yeah? Separate your rooftop from the neighbors? Bit of privacy for all those wild parties you throw.” 

“Hardly,” Azariah huffed, though it sounded more like a laugh. Especially coupled with the small smile he was giving. “But yes, I would still like at least something to keep the area separate. I’m afraid not everyone is polite enough to keep to their parts of the roof.” 

Nodding, AJ moved back for his bag to retrieve a can of spray paint and gave it a few shakes. “So, where’s the boundary at? What’s your roof, what’s your neighbor’s?” 

Azariah helped AJ in determining where the “property lines” of the roof were. They worked together to get things swept up, bantering easily as they went about nothing in particular. It was the easy banter that generally came from years of knowing someone. Neither of them wanted to think about how peculiar it was that they were able to master it while still being near perfect strangers. 

AJ found, as the morning drifted into midday, that he much preferred Azariah’s company over most other people. Once upon a time AJ enjoyed being around people, being included in things and going out to concerts and clubs. Over time though, that slowly changed and he began to grow disillusioned and bitter towards the vast majority of the population. Plants and his boys were about the only living things he enjoyed being around. Well, plants, his boys, and now this quirky little bookshop owner whose bright smile could outshine the glaring afternoon sun and laughter was a near balm on his rather jaded soul. 

Which was quite possibly just as terrifying as it was intriguing. 

With a sigh that only comes after spending hours hard at work and in need of a good break, AJ wiped at the sweat on his forehead and gave a rather pathetic sounding groan as he attempted to crack his back. A similar sound came from across from him, followed by a soft chuckle. 

“Oh, I’m afraid I’ve grown a bit soft,” Azariah admitted with a small shy smile. “I’ve seem to have forgotten how to do proper hard work beyond reorganizing bookcases.”

“Don’t know about that. Think it’s just that damned age thing. Should have had the younger backs up here working on all this.” 

Using the back of his hand to nudge his sunglasses back up into place, AJ stole a glance down to his watch in thought. “Speaking of them. Suppose I’d better take a lunch break before they start eating the furniture.” 

That sparkling laughter filled the space between them again, drawing a surprised smile out of AJ. He met Azariah’s smiling face and felt something twist deep down inside. A hand reached out to brush a bit of dirt from his shoulder that he wasn’t entirely sure was actually there. Not that he was complaining, of course. Though, when did Azariah get close enough to be able to do that? 

“Well, allow me to tempt you to a spot of lunch then. There’s a  _ wonderful _ sushi restaurant just down the street that is simply to die for.”

It took everything in his power not to make a face at the idea of eating sushi. Instead, AJ quirked a brow over his glasses and smirked. “The only way those boys touch fish is when it’s served with extraordinary amounts of chips. Sorry.”

Azariah’s smile fell for only a moment before it brightened again. “That’s quite alright. I happen to know just the place. A cozy little chippy a few blocks over, I must insist on letting me buy you and the boys lunch.”

“You really don’t need to --”

“No, no. I insist, really,”

“It’s really not necessary. I can --”

“ _ No _ ,” Azariah’s hand flattened across AJ’s chest, the pressure firm and sure, instantly cutting them both off in surprise. A sudden tension hung in the air as AJ stared down into wide, startled blue eyes. “I…I mean…”

Azariah stepped back, pulling his hand from AJ’s chest and quickly looking down and away awkwardly. Something clenched in AJ’s chest at the loss of warmth covering his heart. It’d been far too long since he’d last been touched so gently, so insistently. It had been a welcoming feeling, though gone too quickly. He watched in quiet confusion as Azariah continued to step back, already back peddling on his words. 

“Actually,” stammered Azariah, “I...that is, I’m terribly sorry, I...well you see, I...I’ve just remembered that, well, I simply  _ can’t _ treat the three of you to lunch today. I have a...a...I have to meet with a collector across town! I just remembered! Yes. Very important meeting. I should actually --” 

“Right,” AJ coughed, clearing his throat as he moved to grab up his messenger bag and sling it over his shoulders. “Right, no, course. I’ll be in touch once I have some plans drawn up, then.”

“Yes. Thank you. That would be splendid.”

“Right…” 

The pair stood on the roof another moment or two, simply staring at each other, the tension still between them crackling like a lightning storm before Azariah turned and hurried for the roof access door. The moment lost, AJ heaved a heavy sigh, already moving to follow him back down the steps. He tried to push his thoughts about Azariah aside, to get his brain back to where it needed to be focused. He was hired to do a job, not to develop an unprofessional crush on his client. Even if it wasn’t hard to do. 

Making his way back into the shop, the boys still curled up in their chairs reading -- well, Lyle still reading, Jacen curled up with the book on his face, clearly trying to absorb the words through osmosis or something. Azariah paid them no mind as he hurried towards the back of the shop, leaving AJ to gather up his sons on his own. 

“Boys, come on. Time to go.” He dropped his hand down to Lyle’s shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze before nudging Jacen’s knees. “Let’s go get some lunch.”

Lyle’s dark eyes looked up from the book, already half-way through it, and smiled hopefully. “Can we come back with you later?”

AJ opened his mouth to answer, but only stammered in uncertainty. He looked between Lyle’s bright smile and Jacen’s half-asleep stare, then back again. It wasn’t completely uncommon for them to want to tag along with him to different work sites, but usually it was so they could help in some way. 

“Uhm...I...well...uh…”

“It’d certainly be alright with me. If they wanted to come back, that is.” 

Upper body swiveling around to stare behind him, AJ’s eyebrows sprang up over the top of his sunglasses. Azariah stood next to a bookcase, fidgeting with the cuffs of his shirt and only darting his eyes up occasionally to glance at AJ. There was something shy about him right then, shy but with maybe just a bit of hopeful longing. Something that most certainly did  _ not _ do silly things to AJ’s heart. Even if it most certainly  _ did _ . 

“Uh...yeah. Ok. Right. Sure.” AJ nodded at Azariah before turning his attention back to his boys. He swallowed past the lump in his throat and nodded again. “Alright. Yeah. You boys can come back later. I guess. So long as it’s alright with Mr. Fell.”

Lyle’s smile lit up the room as he hopped off the chair, carefully closed his book and moved to hand it back to Azariah. “Thank you, Mr. Fell. I put a piece of chewing gum wrapper as my place mark.”

Warmth ran up AJ’s cheeks as he watched a flash of panic cross Azariah’s face. At least it had only been the empty wrapper, and not a piece of chewing gum itself. There was no way AJ would be able to survive that embarrassment. 

“Oh, well, I’m sure I can find a more suitable marker for you,” Azariah answered, a slightly strained smile playing at his lips as he took the book and ran his hand over the cover softly. Followed by taking the copy of Robin Hood back from a still sleep-dazed Jacen. “I’ll put place markers in them both for you. For when you come back.”

With a small smile in place, AJ stepped forward, one hand placed on each boys’ shoulder as he moved them off towards the door. He could feel a pair of eyes on the back of his neck, the sensation enough to cause shivers to run down his spine. Not glancing back over his shoulder, he called again, “I’ll be in touch once I have some plans drawn up. Should be in about a week or so.” 

“Bye, Mr. Fell!” Lyle called, turning so he could wave back to the purveyor of books still standing in the middle of his shop. “Thanks for having so many books!” 

AJ rolled his eyes to the sky with a deep sigh before ushering the boys back out to the waiting truck. Though they were undoubtedly hungry, there was a very good chance that AJ himself would not be able to eat for the rest of the day. His stomach was too twisted up in knots and butterflies, like some young schoolgirl with her first crush. It was enough to make him sick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...my best friend all the way thru middle school and high school for some reason used to dye her hair with Kool-Aid powder. No, I never did figure out why or how she had decided this was a good idea...but through most of 8th grade and Freshmen year at least that was what she did.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, I have absolutely no knowledge of how jobs and such in the UK work as far as health insurance and benefits go. Like, none whatsoever. I even tried to research it as best I could...didn't get far. So, if anyone would like to correct me on it when you reach the bit of banter between Anathema and AJ, please feel free to correct me so I can fix it.

The bell above the shop door jingled merrily, drifting through the shop until it reached the back room where Azariah sat hunched over a book, his reading glasses slipping further and further down his nose. It didn’t register at first that it had rang, at least, not until he heard a familiar voice calling out his name. 

“Azi? I brought you some of that lavender tea you liked so much.” 

A quick glance at the clock had Azariah hurrying to get up from his desk and back out into the main area of the shop. An attractive young woman stood in the middle of the room, a cylinder metal tin in hand as she looked around aimlessly. Her long dark hair hung loose around her shoulders, framing her gentle face. 

Moving into the main area, Azariah opened his arms for a hug as he greeted, “Anathema, my dear girl, I wasn’t expecting to see you for another couple weeks!” 

Anathema turned on her heels and flashed a bright smile all of her own as she moved in for a hug and quick kiss on the cheek. Pulling back out of the hug, she adjusted the bag on her shoulder and shrugged. “Newton had some computer convention to go to today, so I tagged along.” Her smile sweet, she held the canister out to Azariah and gave it a little shake. “And I brought you some tea.” 

It felt like only yesterday the young woman in front of him wandered into his store, not yet tall enough to even see over the counter, looking for books about ghosts. Her curiosity and thirst for knowledge had endeared her to Azariah. She had always been sweet and kind, even if she did air on the side of aloofness. Azariah had come to expect her visits at least twice a week until Anathema had left for uni. Then the visits became less frequent but always welcomed. 

His eyes brightening in happiness, Azariah took the canister and gave it a fond little hug. “You always come up with the most splendid blends of tea. Please, come in. We must sit and catch up for a bit. How is that young man of yours doing?”

Azariah had only met Newton Pulsifer once, but the man certainly knew how to leave an impression. Especially when he managed to fry Azariah’s new computer simply by setting it up for him the day he’d gotten it. Still, despite being technologically impaired, and having a strange affinity for three-wheeled vehicles, he seemed to make Anathema happy, and that was the most important thing. 

He led the way to the back area of the bookshop where a small table was set up by a window. There was a sink on one wall, and a small burner with a kettle sitting on the counter. Just enough room for Azariah to make his daily cup of tea and nightly cup of cocoa. 

“He’s doing well. I finally convinced him to sign up for computer courses. It’s getting a bit embarrassing having to replace my laptop every time he tries to upgrade it for me.”

A soft chuckle escaped Azariah as he nodded. “I imagine so. He means well, though, I’m sure. Some people are just not destined to be good with computers.” 

Setting herself down at the table, Anathema’s smile softened. “No, they really aren’t. You and Newt are prime examples,” she teased, nodding to where the burnt up shell of a computer still sat in a dark corner collecting dust. 

Azariah followed her gaze, a blush working its way across his cheeks. “Yes, well, I survived a good many years of my life without a computer, I suppose I can continue to survive a few more without one. Honey?”

“Yes please,” Anathema answered as she turned her eyes down to the papers spread out across the table in front of her. Computer print-outs for landscaping companies, it looked like. No, actually, just  _ one _ company. Picking one of the pages up, she gave a soft whistle. “This is beautiful. Are you thinking of moving somewhere you’re able to do some landscaping?”

With a small hum, Azariah turned to glance over his shoulder. “Oh! No, actually, I have found someone to renovate my rooftop. He’s quite remarkable! He’s going to be turning it into my own little retreat. Somewhere I can sit and read and be around nature without having to leave the shop.” 

“Ah, giving you more reasons to never leave your shop,” she hummed in acknowledgement. “Maybe I should meet him and tell him not to give in. That you need a reason to live each day by getting out of your shop, not giving you more reason to stay inside it.” A small smile tugged at her lips as she took the cup of tea offered to her, and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “Unless he’s cute, of course. Then by all means, find some way to lock the both of you inside the shop and never leave!” 

Azariah stared at her for a moment, his mouth hanging open at her brash suggestion. “Anathema! Really.” He scoffed, shaking his head as he turned his attention back to his cup of tea, stirring it with a bit more force than necessary. The tips of his ears burned a bright red with embarrassment. 

“Oh?” Anathema quirked an eyebrow as she set her cup down and leaned into the table a bit. “He is cute, isn’t he? Is there a picture of him on this site?” In a flash, her phone was out and she was tapping away at it, in search of AJ’s company website.

“No, there’s no pictures of him on the site.”

“That’s a shame,” tutted Anathema, phone set off to the side as she looked through the papers again. “  _ Crowley Landscaping. Established 2010 by owner and lead designer Anthony J. Crowley. Crowley Landscaping is based in London and is well on its way to being a leading name in landscape architecture. _ Sounds like he’s at least good at what he does. Has he already gotten designs drawn up for you?”

“He does, yes,” Azariah answered before taking a sip of his own tea. “He’s supposed to be by some time today, in fact, to show me what he’s come up with. I saw some of his sketches the last time he was here. He’s  _ quite _ talented, I must say. He actually just designed a park that’s going to be going in just down the block. Supposed to be a memorial garden of sorts. Built around what’s left of Albion Children’s Home? That’s how I learned of him.” 

Anathema pressed her lips together, trying to hide her smile behind her cup of tea. Her dark eyes sparkled with mirth as she watched Azariah beam and carry on about the landscape designer. It had been too damn long since she’d last seen him smile so brightly while talking about someone who  _ wasn’t _ a dead author. The last time had been when he’d first started dating Miles. That had been over a decade ago, though. As much as she wanted to heckle him and prod at him for the way he beamed and prattled on, she knew better than to try. Miles had left a gaping hole inside her friend that hadn’t ever healed, and Azariah was quick to shut down any and all talks of any relationships. 

It was a shame, really. Azariah had to be the sweetest person she knew. He was selfless and kind, enjoyed new foods and cried at movies about animals; he was educated, stubborn, and slow to anger. Of course, he was also gun shy and reluctant to form bonds with people. A bag full of abandonment and self-esteem issues that plagued him since he was a child. Anathema tried to be understanding about that, but, as an only child and always more mature for her age, gifted a privileged life such as it was, she couldn’t quite get a firm grasp on it. Then again, that was why she was studying psychology. So she could get a grasp on it and try to help Azariah and others like him.

From across the shop, the bell to the front door jingle-jangled merrily, followed closely by the sound of feet hurrying across the floor. A moment later, it jingle-jangled again, letting a slightly heavier pair of footsteps sound. Anathema looked towards the front before glancing back at Azariah across the table from her. He’d seemed to suddenly perk up, sitting straighter and almost fidgeting with his bow-tie and waistcoat. 

Of course, Azariah had no interest, none whatsoever in trying to make himself look respectable for whoever he thought had come into the shop. A Whoever that soon called out, “Azariah? It’s me...I uh, I brought the drawings…” 

So. Not a  _ Whoever _ . 

An AJ Crowley. 

A wicked smile crossed Anathema’s face as she shot a quick glance at her friend. She watched his eyes suddenly go wide and the pink of his flushed cheeks instantly turn to ash as he hurried to push himself to his feet and ward her off. Anathema was faster, though. Still quite young and spry and quick on her feet. She rushed from the backroom and only just kept herself from making a complete fool of herself by running into the man before smiling pleasantly. 

“Hello,” she greeted. “You must be Mr. Crowley?”

AJ spun on his heels and Anathema took a second to give him the once over. Tall. Lanky. Messenger bag. If she didn’t know better, she almost could have mistaken him for one of the blokes on campus. Maybe a bit older. Non Traditional student, then. But a student nonetheless. 

He stood gaping at her, clearly caught off guard. 

Her hand outstretched, she stepped forward and offered a polite smile. “I’m Anathema Device. Azi has just been telling me about you.”

“Anathema, honestly…” Azariah sighed as he stepped around a bookcase and shook his head. He tugged at the hem of his waistcoat, straightened his shoulders and cast an apologetic smile AJ’s way. “I’m terribly sorry about her. AJ, this is my dear friend Anathema. Anathema, this is AJ Crowley, the landscape designer I’ve hired to renovate the rooftop.” 

Crowley shifted his hold on the strap of his bag and reached out to finally shake Anathema’s hand. He was attractive, she couldn’t deny that, all sharp edges and straight lines, fiery hair that spiked in all different directions. The only flaw she could find was the complete injustice of him somehow being able to pull off wearing painted on skinny jeans. No man had any right to wear jeans that tight and not look ridiculous in them. He wasn’t Azariah’s type, at all. This man had an air of bad boy image around him, while Azariah always went for the safe, scholarly type. Where AJ was sharp, jagged edges, Azariah tended to find he preferred softer. 

At least, that’s all Anathema had ever seen him have an interest in. Soft and safe.

“It’s a pleasure, Mr. Crowley,” she said. 

AJ nodded. “Likewise to you. Uh, Azariah? I hope you don’t mind, the boys came along with me again.”

Azariah’s face brightened, his slate grey eyes shining like little stars. “Oh, that’s perfectly alright. I have the books they were reading in the back. I’ll just pop back there and grab them. Just be a tick!”

“So,” started Anathema, a smile creeping across her face, “Azi has spent the last hour praising your talent like you’re some kind of Renaissance artist. You must be quite the designer.”

A string of mumbled sounds that possibly should have been words tumbled out of AJ in response before he shrugged one shoulder, readjusted his sunglasses, and shifted his weight from foot to foot. A designer that’s uncomfortable with praise? That was interesting. 

“I do alright,” he answered finally. “Do well enough to get by.”

“If Azi hired you to revamp his rooftop, you must be more than just ‘alright’. He told me you designed that new park? It’s very nice. A sort of paradise in the city.”

“Eh...uh...yea...well...wouldn’t go all that far as to call it a paradise. ‘S just a park.”

Anathema gave a quiet ‘hrmph’ as she set her hands on her hips. “A park created around the relic of a war that changed history. Created as a space for introspect and paying respect to those lost to war. It’s supposed to be a paradise.”

“Paying respect to the kids who woke up without a family, without a home,” argued AJ. “The ones that lived on the streets around bomb sites. What part of that sounds like paradise to you?”

“The part where you’re reintroducing flora and fauna to the concrete jungle known as Westminster that’s been wiped out of these parts for several decades and are creating a vibrant garden to celebrate the resilience of children and the determination of one small island standing up against a brutal army steamrolling its way across Europe.” 

For a moment no one moved, both regarding the other through narrowed eyes. Well, Anathema’s were narrowed, she couldn’t tell if his eyes were since he still hadn’t taken his sunglasses off. She just assumed they were narrowed, too. 

Their standoff continued for a few seconds more, AJ with his arms folded over his chest, hip popped to one side; Anathema mirroring his pose but with a slight smirk and a raised brow at him, before AJ finally broke. 

“You want a job?” He asked, head tilted to one side. 

Anathema blinked quickly, her arms falling to her sides. 

“I’m sorry?”

“A job. You want one? I could use someone to argue with the historical boards and everything. Seems like something you’d enjoy. Could even pay you.” 

Well, that was unexpected. Not in a bad way, but, still...getting offered a job off the street was not something she had worked into her plan for the day when she started out earlier. Although, with the way Newton was going through computers, and with bills knocking on their door, it couldn’t hurt to have a little extra income. Plus, it would give her a chance to see what this AJ guy was really like. If Azi was so smitten by him, she wanted to make sure he didn’t get his heart broken again. 

Giving a nonchalant shrug, she folded her arms over her chest again. “How much?”

“Negotiable.”

“Benefits?”

“Getting paid to argue with people?”

“I meant dental, vision, health.”

“You know we live in England, right?”

Anathema hummed in thought. He had a point. 

“I wouldn’t have to be your secretary, would I? Because I’m telling you right now, I refuse to get coffee or tea for anyone but my boyfriend, and I definitely don’t take memos.” 

AJ dropped his own arms and grimaced at her. 

“Not a secretary, no memos.” 

Not a secretary job was a definite bonus. Getting to argue with people to make a point, certainly a perk. Getting  _ paid _ to argue with people to make a point, absolute win. Straightening her slim jacket and standing a bit taller, Anathema held out her hand to shake. 

“Alright. I’ll get your info from Azi later tonight and give you a call. We can work out a schedule and talk salary.” 

A slow smirk snaked across AJ’s face as he shook hands with her. It wasn’t a threatening smirk, or a smug smirk, just a smirk that said he was already making plans in his head for what her job would entail. 

“Deal.” 

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Anathema struggled to decide if she’d just made a deal with the devil or not. Didn’t feel like she had, but then again, she’d never done so before, so how was she supposed to decide if it felt like she had? AJ didn’t have the aura of someone bad, just a bit mischievous. Like an overgrown twelve year old on a sugar high, set loose on an unsuspecting family reunion. Looking to cause trouble without it actually  _ being _ Trouble. A quarter glued to a bench, or a frog placed next to a stuffy old aunt. 

In short, this felt like someone she would have no problems working for or with. 

“Good,” she answered with a definite nod. 

She waited until Azariah came back to the front room, two books in hand and a bright smile lighting up his face, before gathering up her belongings. “Azi, I better be going. I’ll call you tonight when we get home. You can tell me all about the designs Mr. Crowley has for you.” 

The double entendre hung heavy in the air, making AJ cough uncomfortably while Azariah simply frowned in disappointment. 

“Are you sure you have to leave, my dear? I’m sure Mr. Crowley wouldn’t mind if you stayed to see the plans he’s drawn up, as well.” 

With a small smirk failing to be hidden on her face, Anathema leaned in to brush a kiss across his rudy cheek, hand clasping his upper arm in a gentle squeeze. 

“I’m sorry, Azi. Newt’s conference is going to be done soon, and you know how he worries. I’ll see them later, I’m sure.” 

Azariah’s return smile was small but sincere. “Yes, you’re right. Do give Newt my best, will you?” 

“Always.”

“Mind how you go, my dear girl.”

With one more kiss to his cheek, Anathema turned, gave a nod to AJ, and swept out of the building like she was being carried out on the back of a breeze. Which left AJ and Azariah standing alone in the small alcove by the register, merely staring at each other silently. The sounds of the streets outside the shop and the ancient grandfather clock hidden along the back wall the only thing disturbing the bubble suddenly encompassing them. 

“So she was--”

“I’m sorry about--” 

They started at the same time, pausing to chuckle awkwardly. 

“Go ahead,” insisted AJ, “what were you going to say?”

Azariah blushed a faint shade of rose pink as he straightened his shirt absently. “Oh, I...I was just going to apologize for her. She spent much of her time in America, you see? So I’m afraid she has a tendency to be, uhm, well rather--”

“Blunt?”

“I was going to say  _ much _ , actually. She means well, though.” Azariah shifted the books in his hands as if he suddenly remembered he was holding them. “Oh! I...I have the books your sons were reading the other day. If they’d like to continue reading them?”

As if called forth from a summoning ceremony, Lyle’s head peeked around the corner of a bookcase, eyes wide and hopeful. “I’d like very much to continue reading my book, if it’s alright with you, Mr. Fell?”

AJ turned his head, one brow arched over the top of his glasses. He’d done his best to try and raise his sons to be polite and have decent enough manners, but somehow Lyle always seemed to have a leg up on that. Sometimes he couldn’t help but wonder who had replaced the boy with a different, but still identical, boy. AJ hadn’t done  _ that _ well of a job teaching them manners. 

Oblivious to this, though, Azariah turned with a bright smile. “Oh, yes, that is perfectly fine with me --” he paused to look down at the books before looking back up to the small face smiling back at him “--uhm...which...book were you reading?” 

Lyle sprang forward, pointing to the copy of  _ Treasure Island _ in Azariah’s left hand. “That one’s mine. Jacen had  _ Robin Hood _ .” Without another word, Lyle took both books and turned, already heading back to where his brother had taken up residence on a chair in the sunshine. 

AJ huffed a soft laugh, lips tugged up into a small smirk. 

“Nice cover,” he murmured as he pulled his messenger bag over his head and off his shoulder, “Sorry I don’t have an easy way for you to tell them apart. Well, except for right now. Lyle has more hair than Jacen does at the moment. Red, too, for that matter.” 

“Oh.” Azariah glanced back over his shoulder then looked back to AJ in confusion. “I’m sorry?”

“Lyle. His hair is still red and not buzz cut. Jacen’s is...well...buzz cut and...eh, uh, normally red. ‘S a long story.” AJ waved his hand dismissively and set his bag down on the closest chair to him. “Right, where’s a good place to go over these designs with you? I got a few done up that I think might work up there. It’s gonna depend on how long you’d be okay with people tromping through here to get up there to work.”

Azariah’s face paled slightly at that. He hadn’t thought about the fact people --  _ workers  _ \-- would have to come through his shop, and subsequently part of his flat, in order to get to the rooftop. There wasn’t exactly an outside access to the roof. His great-grandfather had never thought to build one when he bought the shop. 

“Uhm, ah, yes. Why don’t we, I have a space in the back we can sit and go over them. Can I get you anything? Tea, coffee, biscuits?” 

“No, that’s alright.” AJ moved to follow him around the stacks of books and into the back room where the small table was still scattered with printouts about his company, and a half finished cup of tea. He felt a smile tug at his lips as he looked down at the printouts, then at Azariah as he blushed and hurried to gather everything. 

“So sorry,” he mumbled, shaking his head and stuffing the papers back into a folder that was set on a counter. “Uh, right, so, shall we see what you’ve come up with?”

With a nod, AJ set his laptop down and powered it up, slinking into the chair next to Azariah so they could both see the screen at the same time. 

“Right. Like I said, I came up with a few pretty decent designs. Uh…’ere, this one is the first one I came up with. Pretty simple, really. Got moss for the ground covering here. Does well without a lot of upkeep. Some planters along the wall with hearty shrubs that can withstand the wind. Then to separate your part of the roof from your neighbors, thought a line of trellises with some creeping ivy would work."

Azariah leaned forward, his chin resting on his hand as he took the image in. 

"Oh," he sighed, "that is lovely. This one would take how long?"

"Well, given it's the simplest one, weather permitting, no more than a week, I should think.” 

“That’s not terribly long at all, is it?”

“Said it was the easiest one.” AJ scratched at the back of his neck and gave a partial shrug. “The other options would definitely take longer.” 

A soft smile spread across Azariah’s face and he gave a small wiggle in his seat. An honest to God  _ wiggle _ . Outside of his boys, AJ wasn’t sure he’d ever seen anyone actually  _ wiggle _ like that in their seat. Especially not after hearing that there were designs that would take longer to install. AJ tried not to think too hard about that. 

“Oh, I would love to see whatever it is you have created. Do continue, please.”

Taking a deep breath, AJ nodded once and switched to the second mock up he had designed. 

For the next hour or more, the two sat bent over the table as they flipped through the models; AJ would explain the layouts and how long each one would take, while Azariah would gush over each one and point out aspects he liked most of all and ask whatever questions he could think of about them. By the time they were finished, AJ had a list compiled in his sketchbook of all the things Azariah had liked best and was pretty certain he could come up with a different design that would combine it all into one solid piece. 

AJ tapped his pencil against the page as he stared down at the list, images and ideas already swirling around in his mind. It was going to be a challenge, but a welcomed one. There was just one small issue that needed to be addressed. 

“So...about the oculus…”

Azariah glanced over his shoulder from where he stood at his small kitchenette, putting the kettle on to refresh his cup of tea. “The oculus?”

“Yeah.” Nodded AJ, tilting his head up to glance to where light was pouring into the building from above. “That’s going to pose a little bit of a problem. Right in the middle of the roof like it is.”

“Oh...I, I hadn’t thought about that. I suppose it will be. Is that--”

AJ waved him off and turned back to his notebook, scribbling ideas as they popped into his head. He could already see it. It was just going to take quite a bit of trust on Azariah’s part to let him go through with it. “I think...actually, it might be okay. Let me sketch a few things. I think I might have an idea for it.”

He looked up, quirking his eyebrows above the rim of his sunglasses. “You may have to just trust me on it, though.”

It was strange seeing a faint blush rise up on Azariah’s cheeks, lips tight in a barely contained shy smile as he straightened his waistcoat and turned his attention back to the kettle. For a moment AJ wished he could be brave enough to take his sunglasses off and see just what shade of pink Azariah had turned. Or see what color his eyes truly were. The tinted lenses were great for keeping people from seeing his own eyes, but were shit for trying to tell precise colors of anything. 

Azariah stole another glance over his shoulder before moving to pour a bit of milk into his glass, followed by more sugar than was strictly needed. “I suppose I’m putting a great deal of trust into you already,” he murmured, attention still focused solely on his cup of tea. “What’s one more to add to the list?”

A smile crept across AJ’s face. Warmth swelled in his chest as he thought about what Azariah had just said. He was trusting AJ with something very important, trusting him to create a retreat on the rooftop of his business, his home. It was a trust AJ found himself not wanting to break, but instead build upon. While he always put his best work forward for every project he created, a driving force inside him wanted to make this one his best yet. A veritable Eden for this soft bookseller to escape to when needed; and hopefully the surprise piece he was quickly planning would be a welcomed addition as well. 

Somewhere deep within the shop a clock chimed out the hour and brought AJ back out of his thoughts. When had it gotten to be tea time? The boys were no doubt about to go feral and chew their own hands off if he didn’t get them fed soon. 

Not so much as a full minute later, both boys made their way into the back room. They’d been patient long enough, but as far as they were concerned, they’d been forgotten about and needed to remind their father of their continued existence. 

“Dad?”

AJ looked up and nodded as he raised a hand to motion for them to wait a moment. “Yeah. I know. We’ll head out shortly. Promise.” 

From his spot at the counter Azariah turned, his surprise evident on his face as he looked from the two boys to AJ and back again. He quickly glanced to his watch, his eyebrows shooting straight for his hairline. “Oh! I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize what time it was! I’ve kept you far too long.”

“Nah, s’alright,” AJ answered as he began closing things up and carefully securing them in his bag once more. “It’s not a problem.”

“You and your boys must be famished by now!”

“I actually don’t--”

“Now I really  _ must _ insist you let me treat you three to dinner. There’s a decent enough, or so I’ve heard, restaurant just down the street that opened a few weeks ago I haven’t tried yet. Perhaps I could --”

“It’s no trouble, honest. S’not even that late, really. I’ll just…”

“No, oh I feel dreadful for keeping you so long when you surely have other obligations to get to. I--”

“Angel!” 

The room froze. The grandfather clock stopped counting the time with each click of his hands and even the dust motes seemed to hang suspended in air as that one single word echoed in the small back room.  _ Angel _ , AJ had said. Not even sure why he’d said it, he just had. It just seemed like an apt nickname for Azariah, especially with his white gold curls casting a bright glow of a halo around his head whenever the light hit it a certain way. 

From the corner of his eyes AJ caught his boys exchanging surprised looks with one another. Their eyes shifted first to look at Azariah, then shifted to their dad, who was already plotting the best way to destroy his boys and where to leave them if he did. He had enough going on in his life, he didn’t need his boys getting the wrong idea and assuming something that wasn’t there. That couldn’t be there. 

A sudden shrill ringing phone shattered the silence and broke the spell the four had fallen under. Heat raced up the back of AJ’s neck and to the tips of his ears as he stood and quickly swung his bag over his shoulder. Azariah had already moved to answer his phone, putting significant space between the two of them. Confusion seemed to be etched onto the twins’ faces as they continued to bounce their eyes from one adult to the other like it were a tennis match, both trying to figure out what just happened and why. AJ did not want to give them time to think too hard on it. They were smart boys, too smart sometimes, it wouldn’t take them long to jump to a conclusion. 

“Right, uh, neh, yeah,” AJ stammered, mentally kicking himself for his nervous habit. “I’ll uh, I’ll come up with that new design for you an’ get back to you with it. Later. Another time. Not later today. Too late today. Wednesday. I like Wednesdays. Good day, that.”

A sharp elbow jabbed into his hip with enough force to no doubt leave a bruise later. He looked down straight into a pair of dark eyes, their mirror image just two steps behind. 

“You’re babblin’ an’ stammerin’ again, Dad,” Lyle whispered, trying to be subtle and ultimately failing. “Just ask him to come to dinner with us.”

“Ngk.” 

“Yeah. You let us invite our friends to dinner,” added Jacen. To them, it was as simple as that. Asking a friend to join them for a bite to eat. To AJ, he might as well have been waving a flag above his head proclaiming him to be a sad, lonely, single father looking for adult male companionship. 

No. He couldn’t do that. It wasn’t right. Azariah was his  _ client _ ! That was it. Besides, with the way his life had been going, there was no way he could put someone else through it. After all, he hadn’t even told his own boys what all was happening, and most of it involved them. Maybe not all of it, but, a lot of it. It was too much for them to be worrying about, and it was too much of a burden for Azariah to be troubled with. It was his alone to carry. 

When Azariah hung up the phone and turned his undivided attention back on the trio, there was a cautiously hopeful look in his eyes that AJ didn’t miss. He watched while Azariah fidgeted nervously, fingers threading together in front of him before moving to tug on his waistcoat before being threaded back together. He couldn’t do it. Azariah was too good, too pure,  _ a precious cinnamon roll, _ if he remembered his outdated phrases correctly. 

Azariah cleared his throat and motioned back to the phone. “That was Anathema,” he explained with a soft huff of a laugh. “She said you offered her a job, she wanted your number so she could call and make sure you didn’t back out on it.”

The tips of AJ’s ears burned. Bloody hell, why had his body turned against him all of the sudden?

“Uhhh…” It wasn’t an eloquent reply by any means, but it was the best he could come up with on the spot. Followed closely by, “Eh...ya...neh...uh…”

A smile spread across Azariah’s face, one that was shy but full of light and sent his eyes twinkling like bloody little stars. 

“I’m sure she didn’t say at the time, but I don’t think you know just how much she needed and appreciated that offer.”

More nonexistent words fell from AJ’s lips before that sharp elbow found its way to his hip again. Blast that boy and his boney arm! With a quick, thick swallow to get his mouth and tongue in line again, AJ shrugged and adjusted the strap on his bag. 

“Uh...eh...yeah, well, I mean, need an assistant, she seemed like she could go toe to toe with planning committees and the likes, figured give her a go. S’not a big deal.”

“Still.” Azariah’s smile softened all the more for a moment before brightening again. “I believe I was just insisting that I treat the three of you to dinner, since I’ve kept you here much longer than I’m sure any of you had intended. Give me just a moment to close up the shop and we can get going.” 

It was almost like watching a hummingbird flit from flower to flower the way Azariah moved about his shop, turning off lights and closing the blinds on the windows, all the while singing the praises of the small pub he’d intended to take them. From what he’d heard, apparently, the place had the best tasting fish and chips in all of Soho, and even served a delectable chocolate lava cake atop a large, fresh baked chocolate chip cookie -- a cookie that was supposedly as large as a dinner plate. AJ could almost hear the drool hitting the floor at Lyle and Jacen’s feet. They’d been sold and there was no turning back. 

With a sigh, AJ finally nodded. They’d go to dinner with Azariah. The other man was paying, after all. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are nearing the point of being all that I have written so far. I think there's probably only like, maybe one or two chapters left that I have written and then I'll be needing to write more as I go along posting. So, postings are going to be few and far between for a bit I'm afraid. Not that I ever really had any thing even remotely resembling a set posting schedule, but still. Please enjoy this little chapter and let me know what you think in the comments!

The pub was not entirely what AJ had expected it to be. Though, it was new and it was in Soho, so perhaps that was why it didn’t look run down and neglected like the ones he once haunted. The lights were warm and dim, but not so dim that one had to rely on touch or the garish neon lights above the bar to get around. There was a secluded dining area towards the back with cozy booths and tables, simple tea light candles sitting in the middle of each one. Far enough away to muffle the loud cheers erupting from whatever match was on the telly, but not so far that diners were unable to watch the action, too. 

It was...nice.

The four were seated in one of the large corner booths, AJ wedged between Jacen and Azariah, while Lyle sat beside his brother, both boys talking animatedly about their interests to a captivated Azariah. 

“You know,” said Azariah, pointing a chip in Lyle’s direction, “I have quite a few books at the shop regarding space and the planets. You are more than welcome to look at them the next time you’re there. You never know when you may need to know the names of Jupiter's moons or what Saturn’s rings are made of. It could be the winning question some day.”

Lyle’s eyes lit up brighter than the candle on their table. 

“Wouldn’t that be somethin’! ‘Magin me on a game show, ‘bout to win a billion quid, all because I knew the names of Jupiter’s moons.”

Jacen made a face as he shook his head, a cluster of chips finding their way to his mouth. “They don’t give a billion quid out on game shows, numpty. Side’s, what’d you do with a billion quid, anyway?”

“I dunno, but it’d be somethin’ great, like...like...buy 10 Downing St or Buckingham Palace so I have lots of rooms to explore and set up a massive library with a  _ huge  _ dragon to guard them and hire my own personal ice cream chef. An’ if I had any money left, buy a nice place for dad with a garden he didn’t have to create himself an’ buy you…” he trailed off in thought, tapping his fingers against the vinyl tablecloth before shrugging. “A cardboard box so you can be the troll that lives in the moat ‘round the Palace.”

AJ fought a losing battle not to laugh and turned to see Azariah not fairing a whole lot better as Lyle and Jacen continued their banter.

“Buckingham Palace doesn’t even  _ have  _ a moat!”

“I’d have one built so no one could get in and try to rob me.”

“No one would want to rob you! You don’t have anythin’ worth taking!”

“Would if I had a billion quid. S’whole point of  _ having _ a billion quid.”

An arm suddenly reached across AJ, solid and warm where it pressed against his chest for just a moment before he shifted away, back flat against the padded booth. He stared at the arm as if he’d never seen one before and risked a quick glance to see if Azariah even realized what had happened. If he did, it didn’t show on his face. 

“Alright, Jacen,” Azariah cut in, drawing the boys away from their argument about whether or not a billion quid would be enough to pay scientists to recreate dragons, “What would you do if you had a billion quid?”

Jacen sat up straighter, obviously pleased by being acknowledged. Some times AJ wondered how hard it was for them, being twins and all. Not just that, but identical twins. Even with their own distinct personalities, it had to get frustrating being mistaken for your brother or seemingly ignored while the other got all the attention. AJ at least knew what the later of that felt like. A little too well, actually. 

“I’d buy the whole of Great Britain for starters an’ keep Buckingham Palace all for myself. An’ every room would have gaming stations and arcades, an’ I’d have a swimming pool put in under the great hall with a slide that stretches the whole of the Palace. Then I’d buy a bunch of fancy cars and shut down Picadilly Circle so we could race them. Then buy dad a Bentley, like he’s always wanted, an’ then a convertible like the old blokes on the telly get for their birthdays.” 

AJ choked on air as he shot Jacen a look that even with his glasses still on was obviously one of dismay. “Oi! Old blokes! I’m not that old yet! Not having some mid-life crisis anytime soon, y’know!”

Jacen turned and popped another vinegar soaked chip into his mouth with a shrug. “You’d be so by the time I got the billion quid. They won’t give that much money to a kid.” 

It was said in such a matter-of-fact tone, his face straight in absolute belief in what he said that AJ found himself sitting there with his mouth hanging open like a fish out of water. Beside him, Azariah chuckled softly into his glass. AJ leveled him with a stare. 

“What...why are you laughing? Don’t be laughing! Don’t be humoring him like that. Whose side are you on?”

The chuckles tapered off before Azariah gave a small cough to clear his throat. He sat a bit straighter, his hands flat on the table top as he looked back at AJ and fought hard not to start laughing again. 

“I’m terribly sorry,” he answered with a prim little smile and innocent tilt of the head, “I didn’t realize we were to be taking sides in this. In that case, I’m afraid I’m just going to have to side with Lyle. He does have the world’s largest library  _ and _ a dragon to guard it with after all.”

“Wha’!” Mutiny! That’s what it was! It was a complete mutiny against him! AJ stammered and stuttered again while Lyle whooped in triumph. Though, what he was triumphant in no one knew, but then again, it didn’t really matter anyway. Lyle and Jacen were bickering about who should get custody of the dragon, Azariah was smiling and laughing, tossing his two pence in every now and then to rile the two up all over again, and AJ wasn’t sure he’d felt as happy and worry free as he did right then in a long, long time.

~*~*~*~

AJ groaned as he leaned back in his chair, arms stretched above his head and spine popping all the way down to his tailbone. A dull ache had formed behind his eyes and he honestly wondered if he’d ever get the crick in his neck to straighten out. That was one of the downsides to throwing himself into his work when his depression flared up. He’d lose all track of time and eventually fall asleep slumped over his desk. If he ever managed to fall asleep. 

Faint light flickered underneath the door, the sounds of some ridiculous show playing in the living room just audible enough to be distracting. The clock on the wall ticked past 10 and for a brief moment AJ found himself wondering if that was morning or evening. With another groan, he pushed himself out of his chair, set his glasses down on the table and shuffled his way out into the living room. Sunlight peeked through the curtains and two empty cereal bowls sat one on each arm of the sofa. 

Well, at least that solved the mystery of which 10 o’clock it was. 

“Mornin’, Dad,” Lyle mumbled with a lazy wave of his hand over the top of the sofa. 

Jacen leaned backwards over the arm on his designated side and gave a wave of his own while nearly upside down. “Hi, Dad.”

AJ blinked twice and offered up a wave of his own. Of the three of them, Jacen somehow managed to be the only one that was even remotely a morning person. The scent of fresh brewed coffee drew AJ further into the apartment and into their small kitchen. His mug sat waiting beside the still warm pot and he couldn’t stop the small smile from spreading across his face. Jacen must have known he’d been up all night in his study again. The coffee brewed in just the right strength and just the right flavor was enough to make AJ reconsider their year long grounding. Maybe it’d only be another week or two, instead. 

“Mail’s here,” Jacen called, attention already turned back to the telly. “Mostly junk mail--”

“And bills,” added Lyle. 

“Oh, and another letter from the US. Looked important. This one had some law office’s name return address on it. It’s sitting on the table.”

_ Oh for fuck’s sake... _ AJ thought, his eyes closed and a sigh weighing his chest down heavily. That was the last thing he wanted to deal with right then. The bright white envelope sat in the middle of the table, pristine in a way it had no right being. As far as he was concerned, it should have been charred at the edges and still smoldering from wherever it was touched by that infernal hand. 

Deep crimson red in the corner had AJ’s lip curling in disgust.  _ Sherif, Uriel, and Serif Law Offices. Manhattan, New York.  _

Without a word, without a second thought, AJ snatched the letter up off the table, moved to the sink and turned the garbage disposal on. It was almost satisfying to watch the envelope and letter inside get ripped to shreds and turned to mulch. Would have been more satisfying if it’d been the sender’s hand, or entire arm, or maybe just their entire body period instead, but since he couldn’t afford to go to jail for murder, destroying those bloody letters had to be good enough. 

He stared down at the sink, watching the remnants of the letter swirl and crunch before disappearing down the drain. Maybe if he and the boys just moved, the letters would stop. It wasn’t a great plan, wasn’t a plan at all, really, but the thought had been there in the back of his mind for quite a while. Ever since the first one showed up a few months prior. What he wouldn’t give to write one back and tell the sender to fuck right off. 

“Dad?” Jacen’s voice drifted in from the doorway, soft and a bit concerned. “Why’s a law office in the States sending you letters? We...you aren’t in trouble, are you?”

AJ took a deep breath. His boys deserved to know what was going on, but at the same time, he hadn’t wanted to have them worrying.  _ So much for that… _

“Nah, no trouble.” AJ shook his head and forced his shoulders to relax as he reached for his coffee mug and set about readying it for his morning dose of caffeine. “It’s just nonsense. Nothin’ you gotta worry ‘bout.”

Jacen took another step into the kitchen already worrying at his bottom lip. “But...Lyle and I looked them up. They--”

“Didn’t I say it’s nothin’ you boys need to worry about?”

“Yeah, but--”

“Then don’t worry about it. Just...let me get the mail from now on, yeah?”

Father and son stared at each other for a moment, neither willing to back down first. Finally, Jacen shifted his weight from one foot to the other and nodded, defeat clear on his face. 

“Good,” answered AJ. “Go on back out there and finish watching your show. I got some more work to do on the Fell project, so I’ll be in my office if you boys need anything.” 

With another small nod, Jacen lowered his eyes and turned to slip back out of the kitchen. AJ watched him go, his own heart heavy in his chest. His boys meant well, they really did, but he truly didn’t want them worrying themselves over a situation AJ had been determined to ignore into oblivion. After all, the woman was a demon in her own right and hadn’t wanted anything to do with any of them in nearly ten years. Then to up and out of the blue track him down and start sending him letters damn near demanding to bring his boys to the States so she could meet them properly? No. That wouldn’t happen. Not even a chance in Hell would that happen. 

His head tilted back, the coffee burned a track down his throat to settle like a dead weight in the pit of his empty stomach. He’d find a way to get the letters to stop. He’d find a way to keep that devil woman away from his boys, even if it meant running away to some far off reaches of the world to start all over again. 


End file.
